Title :
Measurements of F- ion density in a discharge-pumped ArF excimer laser plasma
Author :
Nagai, Shinji ; Sakai, Masahiro ; Kono, Aluhiro ; Goto, Toshio ; Furuhashi, Hideo ; Win, Naing ; Uchida, Yoshiyuki
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Quantum Eng., Nagoya Univ., Japan
Abstract :
The ArF excimer laser has the shortest wavelength (193 nm) among discharge-pumped rare-gas halide excimer lasers, and is attracting much attention. In the ArF discharge plasma, many particles (Ar*, He*, Ar+, Ar2+, F-, electron and so on) influence the laser performance. A possible channel of ArF* excimer formation is the three-body ion-ion recombination process. The purpose of this study is to measure the time dependences of the F- ion density in an ArF laser plasma and clarify the role of F- ions in the ArF* excitation mechanisms. The peak number density was measured to be 0.93 × 1015 cm-3. The effects of F- ions on the ArF laser excitation mechanisms are discussed and it is found experimentally that the F- ions have a significant influence on the light amplification process due to laser absorption
Keywords :
argon compounds; excimer lasers; excimers; ion density; light absorption; plasma collision processes; plasma density; 193 nm; Ar*; Ar2+; Ar+; ArF; ArF* excimer formation; ArF* excitation mechanism; F; F-; F- ion density; F- ions; He*; discharge-pumped rare-gas halide excimer lasers; electron; laser absorption; laser performance; light amplification process; peak number density; three-body ion-ion recombination process; time dependences; Argon; Density measurement; Electrons; Helium; Laser excitation; Plasma measurements; Plasma waves; Spontaneous emission; Time measurement; Wavelength measurement;
Conference_Titel :
Lasers and Electro-Optics Society Annual Meeting, 1996. LEOS 96., IEEE
Conference_Location :
Boston, MA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-3160-5
DOI :
10.1109/LEOS.1996.571957
